What if I don’t feel saved? What if I feel guilty and anxious and afraid? Do you struggle with that? Many Christians do. What if I don’t feel saved?The Bible has a beautiful answer: “If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything” (1 John 3:20).I hope you can listen to this short devotion about turning away from our hearts and finding peace in God and his sure salvation through faith in Jesus.God bless you!Pastor Nathan

Many of you feel pain today. Satan wants to use that pain to drive you away from God. God wants to use that pain to drive you to Jesus. Why? “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Some of you today are facing heartbreak in relationships. What someone has said or done feels like it’s ruining your life. Satan wants to use those thorns to drive you to despair. God wants to use those thorns to lead you to the cross. Why? There is One who was falsely accused for you, so that nothing can separate you from the love of God. All of us face troubles in life that make us feel powerless. Why? So that we take to heart God’s promise: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). I hope you can listen to this sermon about the thorns of life: “God’s Grace Is Sufficient.” Jesus loves you!

Are you sure? You might say, “About what?” About anything. Isn’t it hard to be sure about anything? We are trained to doubt everything. This is dangerous. Our culture of doubt is dangerous. Without being able to trust someone or something, everything is going to fall apart. Do you know who’s plan that is? Satan’s. He wants us to doubt everything, so that we eventually doubt God himself. But you can be sure about something: The Bible. “No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:16-21). The Bible is the sure Word of God. I hope you can listen to this sermon about the Bible: “The Sure Word.” Jesus loves you!

Do you feel foolish, at least compared to other people? Great! Know why? “God chose the foolish things of this world to shame the wise” (1 Corinthians 1:27). Do you feel weak? In fact, do you see yourself becoming weaker? Know what? Great! “God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). Do you feel lowly, maybe even despised? Do you feel like a nobody? You’re not, not to the One who matters most! “God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (1 Corinthians 1:28). It’s all God. It’s all grace. God loves using simple things. Like water. Like his Word. Like bread and wine. Through his Word and Sacraments, he says to you, “I chose you!” I hope you can listen to this sermon: “God Chose You.” Jesus loves you!

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). God’s mercy changes you. God’s mercy leads you to want to offer your whole life to him. Not just an hour a week on Sundays. Every moment. Whether you’re working or going to school, offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God. Live for him! Whether you’re a mom or a bachelor or a widow, offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God. Live for him! Every single thing you do is your act of worship to God. As we begin a new year, I hope you can listen to this sermon: “A Living Sacrifice.” Jesus loves you!

When an old man named Simeon saw the Baby Jesus, he said some powerful words: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation” (Luke 2:28-29). When Simeon saw Jesus, he knew he was ready to die. That’s what seeing Jesus did for Simeon. He had seen God’s salvation. He knew that through that little Baby, all his sins would be forgiven, that he had peace with God, that he had eternal life waiting for him in heaven. This is at the heart of our Christian faith: If you have Jesus, you have everything you need. If you believe in Jesus, you’re ready to die. I hope you can listen to this funeral sermon for a dear old man who, like Simeon, saw God’s salvation: “Depart in Peace.” Jesus loves you!

People are searching for unity, but we often look for unity in the wrong places. The greatest unity isn’t found in skin color or language or culture or lifestyle. The greatest unity is found at the cross of Jesus. There every person has to confess their sin. There every person can find the grace of God for them. True Christian unity is being united by God’s grace through faith in Jesus. Like the shepherds and the wise men. They didn’t have much in common. Yet, they were united by falling to their knees in front of a Baby on whom all their hope depended. “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel” (Ephesians 3:6). I hope you can listen to this Epiphany sermon: “Heirs Together.” Jesus loves you!

Christmas is meant to be deep. Not just light and fluffy. At Christmas, it’s good to talk about deep truths. The meaning of Christmas isn’t just that a Baby was born. The Bible tells us who that Baby is: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (Hebrews 1:3). That Baby in the manger is the eternal Son of God who came to purify us from our sins and now sits at his throne at God’s right hand in heaven. At Christmas, it’s good to talk about deep truths. I hope you can listen to this Christmas Day sermon: “The Son of God.” Merry Christmas!